The Martinez Cocktail

The Martinez cocktail has a complicated history. Often referred to as the father of the Martini or as a cousin of the Manhattan, the cocktail traditionally consisted of a heavy dose of sweet vermouth tempered with gin, maraschino and bitters. Based on what recipe you follow, its proportions can fit into either the Martini or the Manhattan camp. Cocktail historians place its creation around the mid 1880’s. New York likes to claim it as one of their own, but it may have been created in Martinez, California. Most drink nerds side with the latter.

At Clock Restoration we tweak the recipe to fit today’s changing palates. First we swap the vermouth with Cardamaro. Cardamaro is an amaro from Piedmont Italy, with cardoon as the main flavor. The cardoon is a relative of the artichoke, and is found in this region. We stay classic with Hayman's Tom Gin but increase its amount. We finish the drink with a bar spoon of Maraschino and bring it together with Angostura and orange bitters. Please stop up and enjoy this classic.